Romans 8:31-32; John 1:16; James 1:5; Ephesians 1:3-8
SOAP: Romans 8:31-32
What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things?
Romans 8:31-32 NLT
We think that because our desires have not been satisfied God is selfishly withholding His blessings to tease and to test.
Read: Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 2:9; SOAP: 1 Peter 2:9
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
1 Peter 2:9 NLT
…Peter’s message was a reminder that all Christians, including Gentiles, were chosen by God.
Read the full devotional
Reflection Questions:
Why has God chosen us to be His people?
What does He ask us to do now that we are chosen as His?
Your turn – What are your thoughts on today’s passage? Share your thoughts in the comment bar
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
Ephesians 1:5 NLT
Reflection Questions:
Being an adopted child of God means He can never disown you, no matter what you have done or may do. Do you believe this is true?
Why or why not?
In love and in accordance with God’s will, it was decided that we would be adopted into His family through Jesus Christ.
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
Ephesians 2:4-5 NLT
Reflection Questions:
Because we are saved by grace, nothing we can do will change our status as a child of God.
Do you believe this? Why or why not?
In Jesus we are saved, not only from the deserved punishment for our sins, but from our “before” identity …
READ: MARK 12:30-31 AND GALATIANS 5:14-17; SOAP: GALATIANS 5:14
Mark 12:29-31 New Living Translation
Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
Galatians 5:14-17 New Living Translation
For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.
Living by the Spirit’s Power
So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
The whole law can be summed up in a single commandment – want to understand how?
READ: JOHN 8:1-11; 1 TIMOTHY 1:15; LUKE 5:31-32 AND 7:34-35; SOAP: 1 TIMOTHY 1:15
Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.
4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”
6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
11 “No, Lord,” she said.
And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
John 8:1-11 NLT
Jesus was a friend to people who hurt His reputation and did not deserve His friendship –
31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”
Luke 7:34-35 New Living Translation
34 The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ 35 But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it.”
This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.
1 Timothy 1:15, NLT
REFLECTION QUESTION:
WHAT WAS JESUS’ ATTITUDE WHEN HE INTERACTED WITH SINNERS?
HOW DID HE LOVE THEM AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO LEAVE THEIR LIFE OF SIN?
Me From the Inside Out 